There is so much to say on this subject. But for now, let me say -please open your heart and mind to adopting a very needy cat, dog, rabbit, guinea pig, gerbil, parakeet, from city shelters, animal control facilities, and the many rescues that take them in. These are companion animals who lost their homes due to surrender, abandonment, or circumstances, and are now confused, heartbroken, sick, and/or injured. Some were given up when they were sick or injured because their former guardians did not know about low-cost options and charities/organizations that help in such situations. Or the people didn’t want the responsibility, so these poor sentient animals find themselves in a noisy, stressful shelter with strange sounds, smells, different food, barking, a metal kennel instead of a couch or bed. Often, shelters are unable to do certain medical procedures, so a dog who was hit by a car, for example, is languishing in pain for days on end, before a rescue takes him — or euthanasia. Shelters are currently so overwhelmed with the influx of dogs and cats, they don’t have room, there aren’t enough homes; in such environments, it is easy for a stressed animal to get an upper respiratory infection, which is contagious, then it can spread. So the shelters euthanize a healthy, loving dog or cat due to having a cold. Here in NYC, I witnessed an employee not telling the truth about this to someone dropping off her dog; she thought her dog would be safe but that is not always the case. I saw dogs urinating when they were dragged through the front door of that shelter - they know what goes on there.
Rescues are also inundated with dogs, cats, puppies, kittens. People give up pregnant animals because they didn’t spay and neuter, then there are the unwanted offspring that result. Traumatized or fearful animals are overlooked for adoption. Then there are the seniors, the special needs, the shy ones, hoarded animals, who are rejected for a kitten or puppy. Kittens and puppies are wonderful, but they require more training and patience. Anyway, I said there is much to say about this subject. It is so sad to see friendly, young, lovely dogs and cats, and the older, neglected ones on the daily Euth lists that I see posted on Facebook. (The US was supposed to become a no-kill nation by 2025(?); didn’t happen yet.) And then to meet people every week who tell me they got their dog from a breeder, traveled out of state and spent lots of money on gas and on the dog, instead of saving the life of a dog in the shelter. Thankfully, here in NYC, pet stores are no longer allowed to sell puppies and kittens, bunnies since last year, because many came through the puppy or kitten mill pipeline. Puppy mill dogs and kitten mill cats suffer greatly; they are treated as a commodity to churn out babies, are denied veterinary care, never taken out of a cage, or bathed, brushed, or pet, or talked to, exposed to the elements. I saw a video once of puppies being rescued from a very bad breeder; some were found in trapdoors in the floor, in darkness! It was shocking! I had a client whose pug, who I loved, was rescued from a puppy mill - he had bulging eyes and spine problems, which is what he died from. Breeders are in it for profit, money, not for the welfare of the dogs or cats. Oh, and flat-faced Persians and similar cat breeds suffer many health issues, including breathing difficulty. Rescues also need adoptions to happen and fosters, so they can continue to rescue more animals, and prevent them from going to the open admission shelter.
You can find no-kill rescues on Mayor’s Alliance and Chewy’s lists: https://www.animalalliancenyc.org/need-help/groups/
https://www.chewy.com/g/animal-shelters-and-rescues
When you adopt an animal from a shelter or rescue, the animal will be forever grateful and you will share a deep bond. That is what happened when I adopted Linda, who I found on the streets of Harlem. Let me know if you have any questions.
